Artist Abolitionist: Riley Hooper, Filmmaker

We interviewed documentary filmmaker,
Riley Hooper, who is settled in Brooklyn, NY amongst a close group of talented
friends. They are filmmakers, photographers, musicians, and visual artists who inspire,
support, and collaborate with one another. Riley is a member of the Brooklyn
Filmmakers Collective, a tight-knit group
of experienced filmmakers who meet once a week to support and advance one
another's works in progress. Riley also works as a Content + Community Manager
at Vimeo.

NN: Tell us about yourself - where are you from - literally and
figuratively? How did you discover your talent/passion for film?

RH: I grew up in Portland, OR with
a family whose unwavering support encouraged me to pursue my dreams and gave me
the confidence to do so. I've been interested in filmmaking since I was very
young. I used to make stop motion videos with toys, and I always took every
school project as an opportunity to make a video. In high school I became very involved
in journalism, writing, and editing for the school newspaper. I attended
Occidental College where I prepared myself to make documentaries by minoring in
Film and running the school newspaper.

I have always found that I can
express myself best through writing and that journalism gave me the license to
investigate things I was curious about. Somewhere along the way I realized that
documentary film was the perfect combination of my visual artist side and my
journalist side.

NN: Tell us about your latest project.

RH: I just launched a
Kickstarter for a documentary I'm shooting this summer on the world's longest yard sale! I'm so excited to make this film! I've known about the sale
for years and have always wanted to make a documentary on it. In college I made
a short documentary about one yard sale over the course of one day, and a whole
cast of unique, delightful characters showed up. The world's longest yard sale
runs over the course of four days and covers 690 miles -- from Michigan to
Alabama! We plan to center the film around stories behind different objects
being sold and bought along the way — where they’ve been, why they’re
here, and where they will go next. Through the lens of these "object
narratives," the film will reveal personal stories about the people buying
and selling them — think love stories, family histories, and nostalgic
childhood tales.

I also have a short documentary
that's currently making a film festival circuit. It's called FLO, and it's about a New York City street photographer named Flo
Fox. She is legally blind and can no longer move her limbs due to Multiple
Sclerosis, but she continues to pursue photography, instructing her attendants
to take the photographs she wants. She's a wonderful photographer and an
incredible, inspiring woman.

NN: Your films seem quirky, funny, inquisitive and hopeful to
us...(feel free to correct us if we are wrong!). Nomi Network believes hope is
one of our core values. Alongside hope, would you say that your artwork also
speaks to transformation or freedom?

RH: That sounds about
right! People often tell me that my films reflect my personality. They're quirky
and inquisitive frankly because I'm a bit quirky myself. I like documentary
filmmaking and journalism because it allows me to meet people and learn about
things that I otherwise would not be exposed to.

My films convey transformation and
freedom in the sense that they encourage open-mindedness. So many conflicts
occur as a result of not being able to understand another person or group's
perspective. Stories of the human experience unite us in a reminder that we're
all the same. More than any college course or newspaper article, my personal
life experiences traveling, experiencing new cultures, meeting new people, and learning
about perspectives that are different than my own have shaped my worldview and
my values. My hope is that in documenting these experiences and people through
documentary film, I can help to expand the worldviews and values of others.

NN: How did you hear about Nomi Network? Human trafficking?

RH: I was introduced to
Nomi Network through my friend, roommate, and fellow documentary filmmaker
Katrina Sorrentino. Katrina is an incredibly talented cinematographer and
photographer, and she's using her skills to support important social issues
like human trafficking and the rights of transgendered immigrants. I'm really
proud of the work she's doing, and it has inspired me to learn and do more for
social causes I believe in.

NN: If you are an Artist Abolitionist or a friend who wanted to support this movement please buy a campaign tee or tank today! Email info@nominetwork.org with your name and the number of tees or tanks you’d like.

Then share a photo of yourself in your tee or tank top with Nomi’s Instagram account (http://instagram.com/nominetworknyc#) by using hashtag #togetherwithnomi so we can see the faces supporting the cause!